London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

UK braces for Christmas airports chaos as Border Force strike set to begin

UK braces for Christmas airports chaos as Border Force strike set to begin

Delays in checking incoming passports could lead to long queues or people being held on planes
Passengers are being warned to brace for Christmas travel chaos on Friday as a Border Force strike begins.

Around 1,000 members of the PCS union who staff passport booths will walk out, bringing disruption to major airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow.

The action is expected to bring delays to around 250,000 incoming passengers at the busiest Christmastime for airports since 2019.

Heathrow - the UK’s busiest airport, where some 579 flights are due to land on Friday - could be the worst affected.

Around 10,000 passengers are due to arrive before 7am alone, with the first flight - a British Airways service from Cape Town - due to land at 4.45am.

Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester airports, as well as the port of Newhaven are also affected. Picket lines will be mounted outside.

Delays in checking the passports of arriving passengers could lead to long queues and even people being held on planes, delaying departures.

Border Force head of operations Steve Dann earlier conceded that military personnel and civil service volunteers will not be enough to limit the disruption.

He said that while “robust plans” were in place, “contingency workforce will not be able to operate with the same efficiency as our permanent workforce".

Electronic passport gates will remain open but they cannot be used by all passengers, such as children aged under 12.

Industrial action by National Highways staff will also continue Friday, while the country’s rail network is set to come to a complete standstill on Christmas Eve due to strikes.

The Border Force strikes will continue from December 23 until New Year’s Eve with the exception of December 27.

Around two million passengers are estimated to be booked to fly into the affected airports during the walkouts.

It comes amid a long-running dispute with the Home Office over pay, pensions and conditions.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka told people affected by disruption to direct their anger at the Government.

"The Government could stop these strikes tomorrow if it puts more money on the table," he said. “Like so many workers, Border Force employees are struggling with the cost of living crisis. They are desperate."

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: "It’s the uncertainty that is worrying passengers, as they have no idea how the strikes will impact their arrival experience.

"Many are likely to face longer queues and delays during this festive period, and some could find themselves stuck on arriving aircraft before being allowed into the terminals.

"Let’s hope that border officials can process all passengers smoothly and without worry."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
×